METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING PLASMA PROCESSING OPERATIONS

摘要

The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly (174). This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window (124) through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber (74).